Till The End of Time
by dapperyklutz
Summary: A Valentine's Day proposal in front of everyone. All you need to know is that everybody deserves to love and be loved, no matter the consequences. SSHG


_Author's Notes: I dedicate this story to all the happy couples in the world. But of most all, I dedicate this to my former lover, Y.A.V. _

_Disclaimer: All characters and places belong to the remarkable Joanne Kathleen Rowling. The inspiration behind this story is from Justin Timberlake's song, "Until the End of Time." All Rights Reserved, 2008._

_Please leave a review and tell me what you think. Feel free to PM me anytime. Please let me also know if you want me to write more HG/SS fics. They're my inspiration as well. _

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It was a bright sunny day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was a normal day for everyone since the fall of the Dark Lord last June. Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, had finally defeated the _'red-eyed man'_ (as Ron would say it) single-handedly. But anyway, he's not the main character in this story.

Hermione Granger, resident know-it-all of the school and part of the Golden Trio, has fallen head-over-heels, crazily in love with none other than the 'Bat of the Dungeons', Severus Snape. The two had started dating after the fall of Lord Voldemort. At first, everyone went ballistic and started to accuse Snape of 'poisoning' the 'young and beautiful witch'. Dumbledore, who supported their relationship, had explained to Harry, the Weasleys and the staff that Severus would never do such a thing as poison a heroine. Hermione, who explained to every that that her lover didn't and would never poison her, said that "the feeling is there and mutual". It took some time for Harry, Ron and the rest to accept the fact that their best friend is dating the 'greasy git'.

Months flew by for everyone and finally, it was Valentine's Day. The entire student body and staff finally got the opportunity to see the _real _Severus Snape; thanks to his girlfriend of eight months, Hermione Granger who is on her seventh and final year at Hogwarts. He now wore dark-blue jeans and black button down shirts with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His former long and greasy hair had been cut and now lay short and unkempt (much like Harry's). Hermione, whose hair had been tamed and now lay on curls that reached just below her shoulders, had never felt happier and complete in her entire life. She noticed that her beloved can be seen tutoring younger and older students who had problems in Potions either in the library or in the classroom. He can also be seen smiling at everyone and, sometimes, can be seen seated at the House tables to indulge conversation on the students. And this sudden change made everyone very happy, most especially Dumbledore and McGonagall.

But anyway, back to the present.

"Oi! Hermione, have you see Sev lately?" asked Ron on a Saturday as he and his friends ate lunch in the Great Hall with everyone else.

"Yeah, we haven't seen him since breakfast this morning," remarked Harry. As the months flew by, Harry, Ron, Ginny, Luna and Neville had became close and great friends with Snape. They all forgave him of his actions (mostly Neville and Harry), and said that everybody deserves a second chance in life. When not in class, they call him 'Severus' or simply 'Sev', much to the Potions Master's pleasure and permission.

"Nope, but I hope he's alright," replied Hermione, sounding concerned.

Just then, two hands covered the witch's eyes. Hermione yelped in surprise as she tried to pry away from the attacker but stopped once she heard the familiar deep and sexy voice of her lover.

"Guess who," said Severus in a sing-song voice as he grinned mischievously at her friends who returned it whole-heartedly.

Hermione, who felt giddy as her heart skipped a beat, decided to play along.

"Hmm... Viktor? It's been a long time, sweetie."

At Severus's outrageous look, Harry and the rest (who are witnessing the scene right now) burst out laughing as Hermione grinned and giggled teasingly.

"Nope, wrong answer! Try again," said Severus once he's regained his composure. He knew that she was just playing with him.

"Uhm... do you mind describing yourself then?" asked Hermione sweetly.

Up at the staff table, all the teachers were sniggering and commenting how a perfect couple they make.

"Hmm... I'm tall, dark, devilishly handsome (coughs from everyone), a Potions Master and last but definitely not the least, undeniably sexy," described Snape in his silky and sexy voice which made Hermione shudder involuntarily. "Can you guess who it is now, Miss Granger?"

"Is it my boyfriend Severus Michael Snape?" said Hermione finally, after a moment of 'thinking'.

Grinning like a Cheshire cat, Severus removed his hands from around his lover's eyes and then sat beside her. His arms went around her stomach as he rested his back on the edge of the table and scooted Hermione closer to him as she grinned happily at him.

"Since you're correct, you've won yourself a kiss," said the wizard flirtatiously, his eyes full of love and happiness.

Hermione giggled girlishly as Severus bent his head down and gave her a short but passionate kiss on the lips, which Hermione returned passionately as well.

"Happy Valentine's Day, love" said Snape huskily as they both ignored the whoops and catcalls from the rest. This time, it was only him and Hermione that mattered right now.

"Happy Valentine's Day yourself, handsome," greeted back Hermione. At the corner of her eye, she could catch a glimpse of the girls at the Gryffindor table sighing dreamily at them or grinning like mad.

"Will you marry me?"

Those four simple words had such a large impact on the brown-haired witch as she felt her eyes widen in shock and felt her heart stop beating for a moment. Her world seemed to be revolving as if she was travelling in time with a Time-Turner as she continued to gape like a fish in front of her lover.

"W-what d-did y-you just... s-say?" she managed to stammer out incoherently.

All of a sudden, Snape began to feel extremely nervous. Everyone in the Great Hall became unmistakably silent when he said those words, as they are also excited to know the witch's answer. Just then, Snape stood up and gestured Hermione to do the same. Once his girlfriend was standing, he kneeled in front of her and everyone else. Hermione, on the other hand, felt her eyes glisten as tears flowed down her cheeks silently and unexpectedly.

_'This is it. This is now or never,'_ thought Severus nervously as he took a long, shaky breath before starting. _'Only one way to find out.'_

"Hermione, I really don't know how to say this as I'm not really good at it. But I'm going to tell you whatever comes from my heart." He heaved deeply as he continued. "We've been together for eight glorious months, and those have been the _best_ months in my entire life, ever. Through thick and thin, the ups and the downs, you've been by my side and stood by me ever since. You gave me hope and a new life to live with to the fullest. You made me change my clothing and hairstyle and my attitude towards others, and I swear I've never felt so _free_ this past eight months. And it's because of you, Hermione... You're that beacon of hope, life, happiness and_ love_ that made me who I am right now. You made me look at life in a whole new different way and told me that as long as we have it, there's still hope. My love for you can't be measured; as if begins from the shore and ends nowhere in between land and sea. Whenever I think of you, whenever I see, feel, kiss, smell, talk and hug you as if there's no tomorrow, you make me the happiest and luckiest person in this entire world. But that's that beside the point. I understand if you decline or if you're not ready yet, but all I ask of you is just one syllable in your answer."

By this time, everyone was waiting in bated breath as the Potions Master took something from his back pocket, He opened the small square box and Hermione couldn't help but gasp in amazement as she eyed the 12-karat white diamond engagement ring. She then looked up at Snape's eyes and the look he was giving her just made her heart skip a beat and more tears to flow from her chocolate brown eyes. _'So much love'_.

"Hermione Jane Granger, will you make me the happiest man in the entire world? Will you marry me?"

"Yes... yes, I will marry you!" cried Hermione without a moment's hesitation, her beautiful face masked with tears of pure bliss and happiness.

Severus then placed the engagement ring around the witch's right ring finger and then stood up, grinning like mad as if he's just won the lottery. Hermione, on the contrary, flung her arms around his fiancé's neck and hugged the hell out of him. Snape also returned the gesture as tightly as he couldn't refrain the tears from flowing down his cheeks rapidly. The entire occupants of the Great Hall, meanwhile, burst out into tumultuous applause as they all stood up. Others were whooping, some crying happily (mostly the girls and McGonagall) and the others grinning like Cheshire cats at the couple (mainly Dumbledore, Harry and Ron).

"You're stuck with me now from now on, future Mrs. Snape," teased Severs as he purred silkily in to his girlfriend's, oh I mean, fiancé's ear.

Hermione giggled happily and then said in a sweet yet innocent voice, "Why, I would love to be stuck with you from now on, Mr. Snape. You're mine now."

"And you as I. 'Coz you know, I'm going to love you until the end of time."

And at that, the two lovers shared a long passionate kiss in the Great Hall on Valentine's Day, confetti and fireworks shooting high up in the ceiling. Unbeknownst to them, they failed to notice Remus Lupin taking pictures of them from the staff table, everyone else clapping and celebrating the day of love and happiness.

_"'Coz if your love was all I had in this life_

_Well that would be enough until the end of time_

_So rest your weary heart, and relax your mind_

_'Coz I'm going to love you until the end of time..."_

**FIN**

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_Note: The quote "It's life, as long as we have it, there's still hope" is from the SMALLVILLE series. Just so you know, I don't own it, too. Please leave a review. :_

_All the love, AurorMoonyPadfoot_


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